Guilty Conscience
by kimado10
Summary: When a tragedy occurs in Dodge City, more than one person feels guilty.
1. Chapter 1

Guilty Conscience

Usual Disclaimers… I don't own anything and don't want to. And I most certainly don't expect payment of any kind.

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"Mr. Dillon? You want some more coffee?" Chester stood by his side, a hot pot full of dark liquid in his hand.

Matt looked up blankly at him for a moment, until it sank in what Chester had asked. "Uh, no, Chester. Thanks though."

"You reckon, she's gonna be alright, do you?" Chester glanced towards the window, his mind traveling even further down the street to Doc's office, where Kitty lay, unconscious and barely alive.

Matt sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't know, Chester. Doc says right now all we can do is wait. He's done everything he can. It's up to Kitty now."

"I just wisht I'd been there, like I promised." Chester said ruefully. "Honest, Mr. Dillon. I didn't do it on purpose. I just laid down there for a couple of hours. I swear I didn't know that clock weren't wound. I'd a never left her alone. You know I wouldn't."

"Chester," Matt spoke kindly but firmly. "We've been over this before. You can't do anything about it now so leave it alone. It's not important anymore."

Chester shook his head in frustration but said nothing more. Placing the pot back onto the stove, he limped over to the door and grabbed his hat. "I'll be back in a little bit, Mr. Dillon." He said. "I got something to do."

Matt offered no protest to his leaving. He understood. Chester was currently carrying a heavy load of guilt and no reassurances from him or anyone else would alleviate the burden anytime soon. Matt understood that, because he was carrying a load as heavy, or perhaps even heavier, than Chester's.

Absently he rose from his chair and stepped over to the stove, pouring himself a cup of the same brown sludge he had refused a few moments before. "DAMN IT!" He practically shouted when he accidently spilled some of the burning liquid on his hand.

Setting the pot back down along with the half full cup, he took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck to lessen the tension formed from worry, fatigue, fear and plain old guilt.

Three days prior, seemed like a lifetime ago, but it wasn't. It was, however, the day his world turned upside down. The day he both realized how much he loved a certain beautiful woman and how much it hurt to face losing her.

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"Mr. Dillon, you gonna be gone long?" Chester asked as he watched Matt getting ready to leave.

"Nah, Chester. I'll probably be back by nightfall. I just need to go out to Susan Bart's place and see what it is that she thinks is so urgent. Why? You got something planned?"

"Well no, not exactly." The younger man practically whined. "It's just that you told me to keep an eye on Miss Kitty and with you gone, that means I gotta watch the town too."

"So?"

"So," Chester scratched his head. "I was just wondering when a body's supposed to sleep. I mean I was up practically all night last night and with you gone all day…."

Matt shook head in slight irritation. "Chester, if you hadn't of stayed up all night in that poker game, you wouldn't be so tired today. That's no one's fault but your own."

"Well, yeah," Chester protested. "But I was winning, Mr. Dillon. You cain't expect me to just walk away from a winning hand, can you?"

Matt looked at him curiously. "How much?" he asked.

"How much what?" The question puzzled him.

"You said you were winning. How much did you win?"

Chester dropped his head and dug his hands into his back pockets. "Well, you didn't expect me to just walk away without trying to at least get some of it back, did ya?"

Matt shook his head as he walked to the door. "Kitty is an important witness in that upcoming trial, Chester." He said as he grabbed his hat. "She needs round the clock protection. Now if you can't do your part of the job..."

"Oh, no, I didn't say I couldn't do it. I'll do it. I just wished I could rest a bit before then is all."

"I'll tell ya what," Matt said. "Go on over to the Long Branch and see if Sam will take first watch this morning. Then you come on back here, get some rest and then spell him in a couple hours. That sound okay to you?" Matt was trying hard to keep frustration out of his voice, knowing how sensitive Chester could be to it.

"Yes, Sir." His assistant brightened up some.

Plopping his hat on his head, Matt left the office, climbed on his horse, and rode out of town, satisfied he had taken care of Kitty's protection until he could get back to town.

In truth, he knew he really shouldn't be leaving town at all. A murder trial was set for a week from now. A cowboy had shot down a gambler in the middle of the Long Branch a week prior and Kitty had witnessed the whole thing.

Though Matt had caught the murderer, the man had sworn he'd never hang. He had buddies, he bragged, that would see to it. Buddies that would prevent anyone from testifying against him. That meant Kitty's life was in danger and it had prompted the lawman to place 24 hour security around her until after the trial was over.

He, Chester, Sam and a couple others had been keeping watch over her for several days now and so far nothing had happened and no one had made a move towards her. But Matt wasn't willing to relax his vigilance. He intended to make sure personally that Kitty was safe.

But Susan had sent him an urgent message, practically pleading for him to come out. Her missive didn't give any details but the tone was practically panicked.

He decided to ride on out to her place, see what it was that was so important, then come back to town as quickly as he could. So making sure he had scheduled what he thought was enough men to protect his redheaded friend, he saddled up, planning on being back in plenty of time to make certain her safety.

He forgot that plans don't always pan out.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Guilty Conscience Part 2

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The three hour ride out to the Bart ranch was pleasant and uneventful, just as Matt expected his visit with Susan to be. Although he knew how she felt about him, and understood how manipulative she could be in her attempts to get what she wanted, he wasn't too concerned. He felt confident he could handle Susan Bart.

Arriving at the ranch, Matt saw nothing to alarm him and nothing that would indicate an urgent situation of any kind. Once off his horse, he made his way up to the door, but before he could raise a hand to knock the door was opened and Susan was ushering him into the house.

"Oh, Matt. I'm so glad you came. I wasn't sure if you'd be able to, what with your guard duties for that saloon trash and all."

Matt did his best to ignore her remarks concerning Kitty. He knew how Susan felt about her, although he didn't understand it. Kitty had done nothing to Susan. But for some reason, Susan stubbornly continued to treat her as though she had stolen something of great value from the ranch owner's daughter.

Of course he knew Susan was somewhat jealous of his friendship with the beautiful red head but for the life of him he didn't fully know why. He had made it clear to Susan that he wasn't interested. And he and Kitty were nothing more than good friends. True they'd had sex a few times but it was nothing more than that.

Was it?

"What is it that was so urgent, Susan?" Matt asked without preamble. "Your note made it sound like it was life or death."

"Oh, did it?" Susan asked as she placed a hand on his arm and led him into the parlor. "Would you like some coffee, Matt? Or perhaps some pie. You know the cook makes the most delicious apple pies…"

"Susan," Matt interrupted her sternly. "What is it you wanted?"

"Oh, come on, Matt." She pleaded. "Have a seat and I'll tell you all about it."

Reluctantly Matt took his hat off and sat down in the offered chair. "Alright, now what is it." He demanded again.

"You remember that ranch hand we had out here, about two years ago, named Tom Heston?" Susan asked, taking a cup and filling it with coffee which she offered to her guest. "I had to fire him for stealing supplies from the ranch."

Matt took the cup but sat it down on the table beside him. "I remember, what about him?"

"Well, we think he may be back, Matt. Some of the boys think there's a couple head of cattle missing and one of them swore he saw Heston in the area."

Matt's brow creased in consternation as regained his feet. "You called me all the way out here about a couple of head of cattle, you _think _maybe missing? Susan do you have any idea what you called me away from?"

"Oh, now, Matt," she pouted. "You can't tell me you're the only one in town you can protect that… that woman. Surely you have other men who can…"

"Yes, I have other men." Matt nodded in anger. "But guarding an important eye witness is my job, Susan, not theirs. And you took me away from that job for nothing more than a thought."

"Well, I'm sorry, Matt." Susan's brown eyes batted outrageously at him. "Honestly. I didn't mean to make you angry and I understand you have a job and all, but protecting the other citizens of this county is your job too, isn't it? I mean, I fired that man, Matt. And if he is back in this area, who's to say he won't come after me?"

Matt took a deep breath. "How many men do you have working for you, Susan?"

"What? How many men?"

"Yeah, how many Susan? Two, three? How many?"

"Well, I have twelve all told. Why? What does that matter?"

Matt slammed his hat back on his head and started towards the door. "It matters quite a bit, Susan." He said steadily marching out of the house. "Cause it means you have twelve men here who can protect you from a slight possibility of threat and Kitty only has five to try and protect her from the reality of one. And when you pulled me from town, you knocked that number down to just four."

"Oh, Matt," Susan protested as she followed him. "It's been a week since that murder and nothing's happened yet, has it? Nobody wants that piece of…"

Matt whirled around on her, fist raised before he thought. Taking several breaths to calm himself, he glared at the brunette vixen in front of him and forced his hand back to his side. "If I were you, Susan, I wouldn't finish what you were about to say. And the next time you summon me out here; it had literally better be because you or someone else is dying."

Saying nothing more, he hastily mounted his horse and turned back in the direction of Dodge. Although derogatory slurs about anyone bothered him, for some reason, Susan's remarks concerning Kitty grated on him more than anything else. He very seldom examined his own feelings and didn't care to do so now, but he couldn't stand it when anyone said anything negatively about Kitty Russell. It bothered him a great deal.

Kicking his horse into a gallop, Matt hurried back to Dodge to make sure that no one said or did anything to the woman he was more than just a little fond of.

Back in Dodge, Chester was contentedly snoring away on his cot in the jail house. Sam had agreeably consented to keeping a watchful eye on Kitty, but had warned Chester that he needed to make certain to be back over to the saloon, or at least send someone, by ten. Kitty had an appointment with the dress maker about then and Sam couldn't leave the bar to accompany her.

With promises in the affirmative, Chester happily made his way back over to the jail, placed his unwound alarm clock on a stool next to the cot and went off to sleep.

Ten o'clock rolled around and Sam grew concerned when Chester didn't appear. "Miss Kitty, perhaps you should stay here." Sam told her when she started out anyway, without an escort.

"Sam, I am perfectly safe." Kitty waved off his concern. "I'm just going across the street and its broad daylight out there. No body's going to try anything."

"But you know what the Marshal said." Sam tried.

"Yes and I know that it's been a full week now, since Matt arrested that man and absolutely nothing has happened. Now I am not going to stop living because some murderer likes to make baseless threats."

"Still…" Sam continued to protest.

"I'll tell you what, Sam." Kitty cut in. "Chester's probably just delayed or something and will be here shortly. When he gets here, tell him I'm across the street and he can come over there and watch me. But I am not about to miss this fitting. Emma has worked on this dress for some time now and I'm anxious to see it done."

Although Sam was not content with her answer, he knew further protests would not dissuade her. He instead started to follow her himself until several men came in at once and demanded to be served. And as Sam was the only one there, right then, he reluctantly went back to the bar.

He was just pouring three glasses of whiskey, when he heard the shots.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Guilty Conscience Part 3

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When Matt arrived in town, he noticed immediately something was wrong. The atmosphere was different and too many people in the streets wouldn't look him in the eye. He found Chester anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the jail with a somberly guilty look on his face.

"Chester, what's wrong." He asked as he climbed down from his horse and tied him to the hitch rail.

"Miss Kitty," Chester said with a sob in his voice. "She's at Doc's."

Matt wasted no time in racing down the street to the physician's office, taking the steep flight of stairs, two steps at a time. When he entered he found Kitty lying motionless and pale on the examining table. Doc was working feverishly to extract a bullet from her chest. Glancing into the bowl beside the table he saw another spent slug already resting there in the bloody water.

Sweeping his hat from his head, he stood quietly while Doc finally removed the offending piece of metal and hastily worked to repair the damage it had caused. In what seemed like hours, Doc finally checked her pulse and heart rate, before wearily removing his stethoscope from around his neck and tossing it on his desk.

"What happened?" Matt asked. "How..,"

"Chester was late getting to the saloon to relieve Sam," Doc told him. "Sam tried to get her to wait but she wouldn't do it. She had a dress fitting at Emma Clark's shop across the street. She no sooner reached the other side, then she was shot. One bullet hit her in the shoulder and the other hit her in the chest. It's a miracle she's alive at all. Bullet missed her heart by mere inches."

"What's her chances?" He asked stiffly, praying Doc would say she'd be just fine.

But Doc didn't. Scrubbing his mustache, he slumped down into his office chair and looked over at the young woman he had come to think of as his daughter. "Not good," was all he could say. "I've done all I can for now. The rest is up to Kitty."

Right then and there the three day vigil began. Matt, Doc, Chester, even Sam and Ma Smalley took turns sitting with the gravely ill woman, talking to her, praying for her and begging her to hang on.

Matt scrubbed the back of his head and grabbed his hat, headed out and back up to Doc's office. He had only left there an hour before; ostensibly to get some rest and do a little paperwork but his mind and his heart had stayed behind in the doctor's office. He decided it was time to rejoin them.

As he exited the jail, he remembered his prisoner, but he spotted Hootie Kyle coming down the street just then. Securing the farmer's assistance in watching the man, Matt went straight to Doc's.

Entering the office, he found the front office empty and the door to the bedroom slightly ajar. Stepping over to the room, he pushed the door back to find Doc, yet again checking his patient. "How is she?" He asked swallowing hard.

Doc looked at him, eyes red rimmed and worried before resting them once again on the sleeping face of his patient. "Well, she's no worse." He answered as he took a swipe of his mustache and plowed a hand into his pants pocket. "I just wish there was something more I could do for her."

"I know, Doc." Matt sighed. "I do too."

"I just…" Doc turned away and paced over to the window, looking out blankly to the street below. 'If only I were a better doctor."

Matt looked at him in surprise. "Doc you've never doubted your abilities before."

Doc nodded. "But I've never been this scared before, Matt. If she dies….."

"There's not a better doctor for a hundred miles around, Doc." Matt spoke soothingly.

Doc turned with a glare. "That's only because, I'm the only doctor for a hundred miles and you know it." He turned back towards the window with a shake of his head. Besides, if I had of done what I'd started to, she wouldn't have been hit at all and it wouldn't matter how good a doctor I am or not."

Matt looked up sharply. "What do you mean? You weren't supposed to be guarding her. That was my responsibility."

Doc looked back over at him again. "You weren't even in town, and you made arrangements for her protection. That's not what I meant anyway. I know I wasn't supposed to be guarding her but I was supposed to her friend."

"What?" Matt's brow fairly curled in puzzlement. "You are her friend, Doc. We both are; we have been since she first arrived here."

Doc tugged on his ear. "If I'd been her friend, she wouldn't be lying in the bed fighting for her life. I saw her crossing that street alone, Matt." Doc fought to keep from crying. "I saw her and I knew someone should be with her and yet I didn't call to her or go after her myself. What kind of friend does that? What kind of friend, just stands there and watches another one walk into a hail of bullets?"

Matt stood in shock as he listened to the older man confess, in a broken voice, to a crime he didn't commit. "Doc, if you had of been with her, you'd been shot too. Then what would've happened to her. She's alive, Doc, because of you. You can't blame yourself for this."

Doc said nothing more. Returning his gaze to the window, he simply stood and stared, praying fervently for forgiveness and the life of Kitty Russell.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Guilty Conscience Part 4

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Chester had never been one to enjoy hard physical labor, and with his stiffened leg, he found it difficult, even when it was necessary and unavoidable. But he could find no other way to take his mind off of his crime, for it was a crime, in his mind, that he had committed.

A trust had been placed in him by Mr. Dillon to protect Miss Kitty and to keep her safe and he hadn't done it. His own selfishness had caused him to let down the one man in the world that had ever been willing to give him a chance. Not to mention the woman that could very well die as a result of his stupidity.

So he found himself at Moss' stable. Mucking out stalls, shoveling manure, pitching hay, anything that kept his mind busy and off of the frail woman lying near death in Doc's office.

"Chester, you clean anymore and me and the horses won't be able to stand it around here." Moss said as he walked into the barn. "Why don't you quit for the day and let's sit down and have some coffee?"

Chester started to ignore him but weariness, and the fact that there wasn't much left to do, stilled his hands and he finally stopped, leaning against the shovel in his hand. "I don't reckon I want any coffee, Moss. Thanks just the same though." He said unable to meet the man's gaze.

"Chester," Moss said insistently. "It's not your fault she got shot. Whoever did this would've gotten to her, whether you were there or not. You've got to forgive yourself for oversleeping and let it go."

Chester finally looked up, his face a mask of guilt and anger. "I cain't let it go, Moss. I cain't. If she dies…." He stopped and took a ragged breath not wanting to think on that. "I just cain't is all." Throwing the shovel down, he limped from the stable and headed down the street, not certain of where his steps would take him, but hoping he could out distance his thoughts.

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Matt sat for the rest of the afternoon in the chair beside Kitty's bed, his eyes seldom leaving her face. To say he was full of remorse would be a gross understatement. He had never felt so guilty in his entire life.

Though he knew how Chester felt, and agreed in part that Chester's carelessness, in failing to check the clock, contributed to this calamity, Matt shouldered most of the blame himself. Kitty was his responsibility. He was supposed to see to it that she was safe and well guarded. He was supposed to be her protector. But instead he had ridden out of town on a fool's mission leaving his inept assistant to watch over her.

Shaking his head, Matt took a deep breath and dropped his head at his own thoughts. He knew if he hadn't of trusted Chester, he wouldn't have him working for him. And he remembered many times when Chester had come through to save the day, inept or not.

But his thoughts were circling in on him, confusing and angering him. "Oh God, Kitty." He moaned aloud. "You can't die. You just can't." Standing he paced agitatedly around the room finally stopping once again by her bedside. Sitting down on the side of the bed he took her hand for a moment, one silent tear escaping down his cheek.

"I've always told myself that I couldn't and wouldn't love anyone." He took a deep breath, willing her to hear him, silently begging her to respond. "Up till now I've done just that, but you slipped in, Kitty. I don't know how, but you got past my defenses. I don't know if you can hear me or not. But I love you, Kitty Russell. God, help me, I love you."

For some time, Kitty lay as she had, seemingly oblivious to his words or the touch of his hand and he expected nothing more. Making himself as comfortable as he could, perched as he was on the side of the bed, he lowered his head, pleading with the man above for her life as well as his own. For Matt Dillon had realized, he would have no life, or at least none worth living, without her in it.

The pressure on his hand was light, almost unnoticeable and at first it didn't register in the mind of the exhausted lawman, but then it came again and again. Matt's head came up and his eyes widened to see Kitty laying there, eyes open and a gentle smile on her lips. "Kitty…!?"

She didn't speak, in truth she wasn't sure she could speak. Her entire body ached and her mouth was dry but she felt like a million bucks as she thought of the words she had heard him speak. "I love you." To the seriously wounded woman, no medicine on earth could be as healing as those three words. With the smile still firmly in place, she closed her eyes and drifted back off into a healing sleep, knowing she now had something well worth living for.

Doc heard Matt's cry and shuffled into the room, fear gripping his heart at what he would find. Looking at Matt though, he found himself smiling for the first time in three days. There was a look about the man that went beyond his relieved smile and told the physician all he needed to know. His prayers, as well as quite a few others around the town, had been answered.

Dutifully though, he made himself busy examining his patient and reassuring himself, and the man who loved her, that she would indeed be fine.

Giving her hand a soft kiss, Matt finally stood up. "I'm gonna go down to the Long Branch, Doc. I'm gonna let Sam know and then see if I can find Chester and let him know. Then I'm gonna come back up here, climb into that big old chair over there and sleep. I think I can finally do that now."

Doc nodded as he tugged his ear lobe. "That's sounds like a good idea, Mr. Marshal." Doc grinned at his jubilant friend. "That's sound like the best idea I've heard in a long time."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Guilty Conscience Part 5

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Sam stood stoically behind the bar at the Long Branch drying already dry glasses and wiping down an already spotless bar. Though he was mindful of his work, as well as his patrons, his thoughts were with the still stricken woman, lying up in Doc's office, fighting for her life. A life he felt responsible for.

"I should've let the customers be and gone with her." He kept telling himself. "I should've tied her to a chair or locked her in her room or something until Chester got here. If she dies, I'll be responsible for it."

"Barkeep, give me a bottle of whiskey and a glass." A man called as he walked in and crossed to the bar.

Sam grabbed the requested items and placed them on the bar top in front of the man. "That'll be two dollars." He informed him.

Tossing two silver dollars on the bar, he grabbed the bottle and poured his first drink. "Just got to town today and heard you all had some excitement here a few days ago." The dusty man in cowboy clothes, with a three day growth of beard, said.

Sam nodded briefly. "I guess you could call it that." He really wasn't much in the mood for this topic of conversation.

"Sad to see a woman shot down in the street that way." The man remarked casually. "Heard she was a pretty woman too. To my way of thinking, that's a pure tragedy. Ain't enough pretty women in the whole state of Kansas to go killing any of em. But I guess if the law allows that sort of thing…"

Sam tried hard to ignore the man, reminding himself that he was a stranger in town and didn't know Miss Kitty or the Marshal but the man's next words struck him.

"Yes, sir. Pretty little red headed women like that, should be protected, not left lying in the street with a couple of slugs in them. That's how I see it."

Sam looked up to see Matt standing just inside the entrance and saw that he too had heard the man's words. "How long you say you've been in town, mister?" Sam struggled to keep his voice even.

"Oh, only a few minutes. But you know how things are. It don't take long to hear news of this sort."

Matt was across the room in two strides. Grabbing the man by collar of his shirt he whirled him around, throwing him half way across the bar and grabbing his gun in the process. "I think you'd better tell me everything you heard, Mister." Matt snarled at him.

The man flinched as the bar dug deeply into his back. Sweat began to run profusely down his face as he looked into the furious features of the tall man holding him there.

Quite a few men were in the saloon that day, and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the drama now just beginning to unfold in front of them.

"Mr. Dillon?" Chester had walked in just in time to see Matt throw the man against the bar, but he had no idea of why. "What's going on?"

"I think I just found our shooter, Chester." Matt glared at the man that he so badly wanted to tear apart.

"Me?" The man swallowed hard and often, eyes darting around the room looking for help that didn't appear to be there. "Well…. I…. I di… I didn't shoot no body." He whined pitifully. "I just heard about it, is all."

"Seems to me you heard an awful lot to only be in a town a few minutes." Matt fairly growled. "Nobody knew how many times she was shot outside of me and the Doctor. And if you'd only been here a couple of minutes, how'd you know what she looks like?"

Another hard swallow, several shallow breaths and another frantic scan of the room and the man caved. "Alright! Alright, I'll tell. But don't kill me, please. Don't kill me."

"TALK!" Matt demanded.

"I was hired to shoot the woman." The dirty cowboy sobbingly confessed. "I was told to wait till she was out in the street and shoot her and if anybody was with her I was to shoot them too. Fella, that hired me, didn't care how many people was killed, as long as she was."

For several long minutes, Matt desperately fought to regain control of himself before he killed the man slumped against the bar. But the man had said he was hired. Matt wanted his employer even worse. "Who hired you?" His voice was low and menacing and the cowboy understood perfectly that he'd better not lie.

"Man named Trusty. Nate Trusty. He gave me $500 in advance." The decrepit man in front of Matt had now almost completely dissolved into tears. Had Matt not still been holding him against the bar, he would've fallen to the ground in total abject misery.

Matt stepped back and took several deep breaths before he could trust himself to speak. "Chester, get this bastard over to the jail and lock him up. And if he gives you any problems, shoot him."

Chester, whose burden of guilt had just been dramatically reduced, grinned. "Yes , Sir. But where are you going?"

"The Bart's Ranch." Matt replied as he turned and headed for the door. "Nate Trusty is the foreman there." As Matt reached the doors, he remembered his original reason for visiting the saloon.

Turning back, he gave Sam and Chester the biggest grin they had ever seen on his face. "Oh, and in case you two would like to know, Kitty's going to be alright. She came to and Doc says she's going to be fine."

As Matt walked out of the bar, he couldn't help but hear the shouts and cheers from inside the saloon as the news sank in that the town's favorite red head would not only live, but one day, hopefully soon, grace their presence once again.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Guilty Conscience Part 6

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Matt's second trip in one week to the Bart ranch, took a lot less time than the first one. He was furious. Susan's urgent request for his presence now made sense. She had purposely pulled him from Dodge, in order to leave Kitty even more vulnerable than she already was.

Although, he was pretty sure he knew what happened and why, he knew he had no real proof of anything but Trusty's guilt. It didn't matter, though. Once he got a hold of Trusty, he would have all he needed.

When Matt arrived at the ranch, he quickly made his way to the barn, knowing he was more likely to find Trusty there. He was not disappointed. "Hold it!" He demanded when he stepped in to find Trusty bridling his horse. "You're under arrest, Trusty." He pulled his gun and clicked back the hammer.

Trusty barely reacted as he continued preparing his horse to ride. "Under arrest for what, Marshal?" he answered in a lazy drawl. "Saddling my horse? Doing my job?"

"Was hiring someone to kill Kitty Russell part of your job?" Matt asked as he kept his gun trained on the foreman.

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about. I haven't been into town in over a month." Although he continued with what he was doing, he hazarded a glance in Matt's direction. "You got proof I did anything like that?"

"I've got the man you hired," Matt answered. "He's already confessed to shooting her and says you're the one who hired him."

"Desperate men can make all kinda claims, Marshal." Trusty reached over and picked up his saddle, settling it on the horses back. "Don't mean they're telling the truth. Sides, why would I want that woman shot? She ain't done nothing to me."

"I figure you did the hiring for someone else." Matt answered. Though he had let the man continue saddling the horse, he had kept a close eye on him. The fact that he wasn't wearing a gun didn't mean he wouldn't try anything. "Did Susan get you to hire Kitty killed?"

Trusty pulled up the stirrup and tightened the cinch before finally stepping slightly away from his horse, right hand just behind his back. "Miss Susan's father hired me to run this ranch, Marshal. And that's what I do. Now, if you ain't got no other questions…." Pulling his right hand out from behind his back, he aimed the gun he had at Matt.

He had time to fire just once before Matt's shot hit home and Trusty slumped to the ground, a bullet in his chest.

Matt ran over to him, taking the gun from his lifeless hand. "Trusty, Trusty." Trusty was dead and, along with him, any proof Matt might have had against Susan Bart.

For a moment, he came close to marching up to the house, grabbing Susan Bart by the shoulders and shaking her until she confessed. But he let that idea go as soon as it formed. He had never believed in harming women, even women like Susan Bart, and he didn't plan on starting now.

Besides he was positive she would never admit her part in this and he had no way to prove it now that Trusty was dead. Taking a deep breath, he turned back, mounted his horse and rode back to Dodge.

Two days later, Susan Bart boarded a train for New York. Return date uncertain. If her conscience bothered her at all for what she did, she never said.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Guilty Conscience Epilogue

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"Kitty Russell!" Matt called as he walked into her room to find her standing at her wardrobe looking through her dresses. "What do you think you're doing? You know Doc told you he wanted to remain in that bed for at least another week."

"Oh Matt, I'm fine." Kitty waved him off. "I'm going crazy lying around all day. It's about time I got up and went back to work."

"Oh no, it isn't." Matt stated firmly as he swiftly crossed the room and effortlessly picked her up, carrying her back to bed. "Doc says you're to stay put and you're gonna stay put."

Though his tone was stern Kitty could see the twinkle in the sky blue eyes as they lovingly took her in. "You and Doc are worry warts." She pouted. "But I'll stay put for a couple more days. I wouldn't want Doc to get upset with me.

Matt grinned. "Good. Besides I want you completely rested up and able to dance the night away, four weeks from now. I promised to take you to the Ford County Sociable, remember?"

Kitty nodded. "I remember, but you don't have to keep that promise, Matt, if you don't want to. I was really sick when you promised and I know…"

"Kitty," Matt took her hand, giving it a gentle tug. "I didn't ask you because you were sick. I asked you because I wanted to take you. How many more times and ways do I have to say it. I love you!"

"You could say that a million more times, Matt Dillon, and it wouldn't be enough." She dropped her head for a moment, before raising it again and looking at him. Her eyes proved the truth of her words. "I love you too. I have since I set foot in this town. I'd just about given up hope, though, that you'd ever feel the same way."

Matt sighed. "I think I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you, Kitty. But you know how it is with my job and everything…."

"Matt," Kitty shook her head. "We've gone over this several times, in the last 2 weeks, and I don't wish to do it again. I understand. Honest I do. And I'm not asking for any open declarations of love on Front Street. But you don't have to hide your feelings when it's just you and me."

Matt bent over and kissed her soundly on the lips. "And I don't intend to. Not ever again."

"Good." She smiled as she pulled him back for another kiss.

"Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon." Chester's plaintive voice and urgent knock was heard at the door, interrupting them.

"I'm gonna have teach him a thing or two about interrupting me," Matt grumbled as he got up and went to the door. Opening it, he practically had to catch Chester as he had been leaning on the door. "Chester? What is it? What do you want?"

"Well, there's a telegram come for ya. I thought it might be important." Chester saw Kitty lying on the bed, with a semi-amused look on her face. "Oh, hello there, Miss Kitty. You a feeling alright, are ya?"

"Well, I was fine for a minute or two there at least, Chester. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm… I'm fine." Chester started to take a step inside the room but Matt quickly stopped him.

"Chester, you said this was important?" The irritation on Matt's face was unmistakable.

"Well, no… I mean, I said I thought it was important…" Chester placed a hand defensively on his chest and back up a bit at the expression on his boss's face. "You mean it weren't?"

"No, Chester, it wasn't." Matt turned back to Kitty. "It was just a wire, from the Sheriff in Hays, telling me that cowboy that shot you was delivered to state prison this morning. He'll be an old man by the time he gets out."

Kitty nodded but said nothing. It was still difficult for her to understand the whole thing. The original threat from the murdering cowboy had been bad enough. Of course it was a relief to know that he had been merely shooting off his mouth and in truth really had no friends out gunning for her, but still it had scared her.

Matt understood. Looking back over at Chester, he practically shoved him out of the room. "Chester, go on back to the jail and I'll be there later. And unless someone has actually been shot, don't you come back up here."

"Well, but what if…."

"Chester!" Matt's voice rose and grew rougher.

"Oh, oh… well, maybe that would be best." Chester muttered as he saw the still angry look on his employer's face. "I'll see ya later, Miss Kitty." He called as Matt shut the door in his face.

Kitty tried to look dismayed at what Matt had done. "Matt that was rude." She covered her mouth to hide the smile.

"Well, maybe." Matt agreed as he shoved the wire in his vest pocket and retraced his steps back to the bed. "But it doesn't matter. He's got to learn sooner or later to leave me alone when I'm up here unless it's life or death." Sitting down beside her, he bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. "I don't get to spend enough time with you the way it is. I don't want Chester horning in on what I do have."

Kitty took a deep breath and nodded. "I don't either but you know its gonna happen. Chester's a good man but he doesn't seem comfortable handling some things without you along."

"He'll learn," Matt assured her. "I may be old and gray when he does, but he'll learn."

Kitty burst out in laughter. "Think it'll take that long, huh?"

Matt sat back and sighed, a serious look on his handsome face. "I don't know, Kitty. But right now, it doesn't matter. You matter. It took me a while to figure that out but I did and I want you to know that. I meant what I said, Kitty. I love you. I always will. I'd do anything I could to go back two and a half weeks and see to that you weren't shot. I can't. But at least it woke me up and made me realize how important you are to me."

Kitty took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm mighty glad to hear that, Marshal. Cause you're important to me too. I don't think I'd ever want to live without you in my life."

Matt bent back towards her and captured her lips in a tender and loving kiss. "Same here."

Kitty reached for him, pulling him back for more just as a pounding was heard at the door. "Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon!"

Matt sat back and groaned. "I think I just may lose an assistant today." Reluctantly he pulled away and tromped over to the door. Whipping it open, his face letting Chester know the intrusion was not welcomed. "What!?" he growled.

Chester swallowed hard and stepped back a pace. "Mr. Dillon, the stage just got in. Jim Buck says it was held up just outside of town. He's calling for you." He dropped his eyes to the floor, clearly unhappy at having to once again interrupt.

Matt took a deep breath and reluctantly reached for his hat. "Kitty…"

"Go on, Matt." She sighed. "I'll see ya later, huh?"

Matt nodded, twirling his hat in his hand for a moment before heading for the door. "See ya later, Kitty." He said as he left, closing the door softly behind him.

Kitty laid back and sighed. She realized this was most probably going to be the way things would go as long as he wore the badge, but she was willing to accept it. Because not to meant not having him in her life. And if she knew anything she needed Matt Dillon in her life. If being shot and coming close to dying taught her anything, it taught her that.

Lying there she thought of the events of the last two weeks and the feelings it inspired in several Dodge citizens. She didn't agree with their feelings of guilt. She held no one but Trusty and perhaps Susan Bart at fault for her shooting. But she was glad it had made Matt accept and admit his feelings for her. Feelings that had very little to do with guilt and very much to do with love.

Smiling beautifully, she closed her eyes in contentment. Matt Dillon loved her. And Kitty Russell didn't feel guilty about that at all.

End

End


End file.
